England manager Thomas Tuchel appealed to FIFA to reconsider photographer placement during the national anthems ceremony following his team's 4-2 Group L victory over Croatia on June 17. The 2026 World Cup introduced a new pre-match tradition where all squad players line up in the center of the field during national anthems—the first time this has been done at a major tournament.
'I beg FIFA to change the placement of photographers during the anthems,' Tuchel said. 'I simply couldn't see my team. I waited for this moment, it was very special, and I stood before a wall of 50 photographers. I couldn't see any player and it spoiled my experience a bit.' Tuchel said the photographer positioning prevented him from viewing his players during the ceremonial moment.
The complaint highlights an unintended consequence of the expanded pre-match ceremony. While designed to celebrate all squad members with increased global visibility, the photographer positioning created sight-line issues for coaching staff positioned on the sidelines.
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